Kerala tribals have won a hard battle to claim ownership to forest land. Now thanks to the efforts of Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony, the Union Environment Ministry has transferred forested land for the resettlement of Wayanad tribals. In an agitation by tribals to demand land earlier this year, the State Government was accused of acting in a high-handed fashion to crush the upheaval. Putting people first on the State's conservation agenda, the Chief Minister had requested the Centre to de-recognise private forest land to rehabilitate the tribals.